The Under 18 AA Southeast Apex Gold Wings stand to take home the provincial championship this Sunday at home against the Warman Wildcats. The Wildcats took the first game in the best of three series with a 3-1 win in Midale. The Gold Wings then tied it up in Warman with a come-from-behind 4-2 victory.
Head coach for the Gold Wings, Rodney Reid, says this weekend's game doesn’t have much added pressure for the team, noting his confidence in their work this year.
“I don't feel the girls really feel the pressure as we've been striving and working towards it with our small game plan and stuff that we've been working on all year. So I don't feel like it's anything unattainable.”
Reid explains the coaching staff and team mentality that has pushed the girls though the season, and as they play for the provincial title.
“It's the same mentality, team first, individual second. We believe in them 100% that they can do this. And that's all you got to convey with the girls. And they've bought into what we're trying to teach them and the game plan, and it just seems to roll with the punches.”
When looking at their opposition, he regards the Wildcats as a strong team, saying the girls will have to go to the dirtier areas of the ice to get around their defense.
“Like the board battles in front of the net, try and get a goal that way. Their goaltending is pretty good. Their defense is solid. They're a bigger, stronger team physically. They're a strong team and we just got to take away some of the scoring chances around the dirty areas of our own net, and it should work out pretty good.”
Reid explains their though process heading into this final game, saying “We can't save anything. She's all hands on deck. Give her everything we got. There is no tomorrow.”
“It is the game. It's what everybody dreams of, right? The Game 3, the Provincial Final, it's like Game 7 of the Stanley Cup. You have to be at your best, and if you're not, hopefully one of your line mates or somebody will pull you through and put together a good enough team, a game that we can get through it.”
This is the first time the team has made it to a provincial matchup since their inception. Reid explains just getting the division title was huge.
“We've always been to the dance, but we've never been asked. Wo've lost in the South Final, I think three times, four times maybe. It's quite a milestone for the girls, but in the big picture, it's not the end goal. The end goal is to win the whole thing.”
He expects a solid turnout for the game, of longtime local fans and new fans as well. He cites that with fewer games happening as the season finishes off, people have their sights set on the big games.
“I don't know if you can get a bigger game than the game three of the provincial final, right? There's going to be tears on both sides. Some of these girls are going to be finishing off careers. Some of them are going to be going down as champions. So it'll be exciting, and hopefully we can come out on the right end of it.”
He extends appreciation for the support of surrounding communities, as players hail from both Weyburn, Estevan, and the places in between.
“Midale is a perfect fit for it because they took us in there years ago, and it's just been our home rink, and they're glad to have us because it is a big drawing card for the fans. To watch some good hockey. The whole team is out of the southeast, right? There is girls driving from all over, and Midale seems to be about central. They're behind us 100%.”
He also appreciates the parents for their hard work and support for the girls.
“The parents have done a good job to stick with the girls through the hockey and make sure the gas tanks are full to get them to where they need to be. They've kind of let me run away with it. There's not been a whole bunch of home coaching, which is huge. So you get everybody on the same program. And I think they're as excited as the girls are.”